NCAA to consider new 6-year policy on certain transfers in lieu of waiver system

Instead of granting waivers to allow certain transferring athletes to compete immediately for a new school, the new policy would have those athletes sit out a season in exchange for a full-year extension to their eligibility window. Stock photo via Tim Binning/TheSwimPictures.com

Florida senior Mark Szaranek will be looking to win the 200 IM title outright after winning tying for the victory last year, but he’ll have to deal with Auburn’s Hugo Gonzalez and the rest of a very strong field.

Delaney Duncan of Eastern Michigan University made history Friday morning when she swam a 58.36 in prelims of the 100 breast, good for 2nd seed in finals and giving Eastern Michigan its first female swimming A-Finalist at the NCAA Championships.

Division I of the NCAA could see a policy change on student transfers and waivers approved this week, according to Michelle Brutlag Hosick of the NCAA, a change that would allow transferring students a 6-year window to complete their 4 seasons of eligibility if their transfer causes them to sit out a season.

The idea comes from a Division I Leadership Council subcommittee which has been studying the situation of transferring athletes and is expected to recommend the changes at the NCAA Convention this week.

The legislation applies to a specific group of student-athletes: some athletes who transfer are eligible to compete immediately the next season based on factors like releases, or where they transferred to or from. Those athletes would be unaffected by the new policy. But currently some athletes are required to either sit out a year of competition or apply for a waiver through the NCAA. These are the athletes that the new policy is intended to address.

If it’s implemented, this new procedure would do away with the waiver process for these athletes, forcing them to sit out a year, but in exchange would grant them an extra year to complete their eligibility. Current rules allow an athlete a 5-year window to fit all 4 years of eligibility into; the new policy would make that a 6-year window.

Those athletes would still have to provide some reasoning for the extension – the NCAA release (linked above) uses a serious family illness as an example.

The proposal is meant to counter abuse of the current waiver process as well as address claims that it’s inconsistent in its current form. If accepted, it would take effect next fall, meaning athletes transferring to a new school for the 2014-2015 season would be subject to the new rules.

Let’s say someone has three years of eligibility left. The original rules made them sit out a year and lose a year of eligibility. The new rules would allow that person to essentially keep all of their eligibility and just have to wait a year to start?

Not exactly – under current rules, an athlete has four seasons of eligibility that have to all fall within a 5-year window from the first year they start competing. So an athlete can sit out one full year, then finish the rest of their eligibility.

The new policy, if implemented, would essentially allow an athlete to sit out two different seasons and still compete in 4 seasons, if they’re approved for the 6th year extension.

Jared,did this new policy ever get implemented? If so, would my son be eligible for a 6th year?
He started college 2011 but took a Redshirt (surgery) his freshman year at a Div 1. (basketball)
Played 82 minutes his sophomore year (2012-2013).
Transferred to another Div.1 school his junior year (2013-2014). Sat Out entire year.
Transferred to another Div.1 school (financial reasons), has to repeat his junior year (Sitting Out)
Next year (2015-2016) will be his senior year (eligible to play). Will graduate as Undergrad.
Btw, he has kept a Dean’s list ‘A’ average his entire high school and college career.

You would have to talk to your son’s coaches to be sure, and there is likely some sort of application process he’ll have to go through, but it does appear your son could earn a 6th year to finish out his eligibility.

Jared,
Thanks for your prompt reply. It would appear that the only satisfaction we may receive from this whole ordeal is a possible 6th year to gain some additional play. It’s funny how I was told that the sit out rule was originally designed to benefit the student by helping them acclimate to the new transfer school (both academically and socially). When you maintain a 3.8+GPA, have a great work ethic and high moral character, what’s the point in sitting out?? Thanks.

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3 years ago

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson just can’t stay away from the pool. A competitive career of almost two decades wasn’t enough for this Minnesotan, who continues to get his daily chlorine fix. A lifelong lover of writing, Jared now combines the two passions as Senior Reporter for SwimSwam.com, covering swimming at every level.
He’s an …